1 Minute Stories Perspective Stories

Diving Into Darkness

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The boy made up his mind by the first strike of lightning as he swam hard towards the raft.

It was an eight-foot square platform made from treated pine, green outdoor carpet, and held immersed in the water about seventy-feet offshore, by two aluminum pontoons.  Upon its top was a small two-foot diving board that pointed towards the drop-off into the deep darkness, of the lake.

As he swam farther away from shore, he glanced at the sky to see three shades of shadows created by the lighting.  The ominous palette looked like angry faces peering down, trying to forestall his attempt at the raft’s salvation.

Fear from the sky now instilled within him, the boy imagined blackened arms constructed of seaweed, reaching up, and grabbing his thrashing feet as they kicked furiously against the raging waves.

But it was too late for evil, the boy had reached the raft and pulled himself up the small metal ladder to safety.  For anyone watching, this would have seemed like a terrible mistake, to be trapped away from shore, contained by the storm’s rage.

But he knew a secret.  

Just behind the diving board, was a small trapdoor that led underneath into a secret space filled with cushions, warm blankets, and beautiful black and red shag carpet.  It was safe, hidden, and had everything he loved in the world contained within it.

His plastic army men, a slingshot made of metal and tube rubber, his SGT Rock comic books, and of course, a photo album that held a collection of his favorite family moments.

As he sat upon the small sofa that lay against the back wall towards the beach, he listened to the storm outside dulled by the raft’s walls, as if it were a distant dream.

In fact, this was a dream, his dream.

And in it, he was the God that controlled the outcome of his own fate.


REFLECTION

When I was younger, there was a raft in a swimming area at our place up north.  The raft was chained to the lake bed about eight feet under water on the end with the ladder.  Just beyond the other side of the raft, was a massive drop off that turned the blue water into black.  It always scared me as I looked down the other side of the raft into the darkness.

My imagination came up with all sorts of things that lurked below.  Things that would come up for you, pull you down into a place you couldn’t breathe.  Things that parents couldn’t protect you from.

One night I had a dream and, it was just as the story goes.  It began with a storm, then a choice to remain on land, or find the courage to fight the storm at sea.

Somehow, my ten-year-old (or so) mind, chose to battle the storm on its own turf.  Or surf, I should say.

I created a salvation within the blackness of the lake itself.  It was a room underneath the raft, kind of like a tree fort, and had all the familiarities of our cottage that gave me courage.

Because of that dream, I was able to connect with the water, and eventually dive into its darkness.  And because of my courage to continually seek the unknown, I was able to build Tessera.

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6 Comments
  1. Joy Truscott

    May we all have the courage to dive into the Depth of our Being

    • Adam King

      Absolutely. 🙂

  2. Terri

    The scariest parts of me are the parts that want to surface and be healed,

    Which i have been doing for a few years,

    It gets easier each tim ethat i dove into y depths and reclaim ME.

    Thanks, Adam—for me—-dreams are really a parallel reality waiting to be discovered by me.

    • Adam King

      Couldn’t agree more Terri. So much happens within them and, when we have the vision to see those connections….it’s just amazing stuff…

  3. Angela

    What strikes me as I read your reflection to the story is just how strong the tendency is to create the monsters in the dark instead of the play space. What is it that creates the tendency for fear or even the creation of something to fear?! I’d much rather find a wonderful discovery or create something beautiful out of the unknown. I want to find that little voice inside that automatically creates the play room instead of a seaweed dripping growling creature with fangs. That is the little voice that is so much more powerful and creative and can make changes for the better. Perhaps it is found best in that childlike state and why wisdom reminds us to be like the child.
    Thank you for sharing your wonderful play space!

    • Adam King

      That’s a great point Angela. Sometimes I’ll invite the monster in for tea. Next, they’re sitting with me on the couch under the raft. (I mean that metaphorically)

      Regardless, the monster is always a part of us, no matter how seemingly separate.

      And yes, I’m always up to learning your perspectives on the matter. The more stories we share, the better off we all are!

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